Father's Day Gift Ideas 2023

Our favorite wok: Joyce Chen Classic Series 14-inch Carbon Steel Wok with Birch Handles

A wok is one of the most versatile and unique pieces of cookware. It does a great job adding wok hei to stir-fried dishes, doubles as a deep fryer, and stands in as a pot for boiling and steaming foods. Stirring ingredients in a wok is less of a precarious journey compared to a flat skillet, as its high walls can prevent foods from flying over the edges. We preferred carbon-steel woks despite the fact that they may require a bit of additional care; Grace Young, the author of multiple cookbooks about Chinese cooking, taught us how to season a wok properly.

Our favorite large cooler: Yeti Tundra 45

Most people can benefit from a durable and high-performance cooler, including the dad on your list. Our favorite large cooler by Yeti kept drinks and perishable items cold for an extended period of time and was spacious enough to hold enough food for a weekend trip for four people. 

What makes Yeti coolers better than other coolers on the market? Superior insulation! We cut all the coolers open to discover that Yeti's insulation had the right density to maintain temperature better.

Our favorite mop: O-Cedar EasyWring Spin Mop & Bucket System

Not everyone enjoys cleaning chores, especially mopping the floor. But a good mop can help make the job much easier and quicker. We reviewed various styles of mops to find the best ones. If you're more interested in spray mops that forego the bulky buckets, we also have some top picks for you.

Our favorite mop comes with a bucket, which is equipped with a centrifuge-like wringing mechanism that spins the mop dry without requiring us to bend over. It was also pretty lightweight, and it didn’t tire our arms and backs easily. For the dads who want to keep the living space tidy without hurting their backs, this mop can be the perfect gift. 

Our favorite smoker: Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker Smoker 22"

Unlike charcoal or gas grills, a smoker delivers gentle and consistent heat to meats, resulting in an ultratender texture and slightly smoky flavor. If the dad you're gifting has been talking about getting serious with barbecue but hasn't invested in a smoker yet, this model is the perfect gift. 

We spent weeks testing the best entry-level smokers on the market. For the best flavors, go with charcoal ones; however, if convenience is high up on the priority list, we also found a great gas option.

One of our favorite nonalcoholic beers: Upside Dawn Golden Non-Alcoholic Brew from Athletic Brewing (ale)

Nonalcoholic beer used to have a bad rap, but the new generation of nonalcoholic beers, made with improved technology, is here to change that. We found multiple nonalcoholic beers that were just as delicious as the alcoholic versions, especially the ones from Athletic Brewing.

The Upside Dawn Golden Ale was well-received, as its flavor struck a fine balance between hoppy and citrus; it's light-bodied, meaning it was easy to drink and didn't fill us up. The company is dedicated to brewing nonalcoholic beers and often releases popular styles of beer that mimic alcoholic beer trends.

We think a nice 6-pack is always a welcome gift, but why not add in some pint glasses to go with it? It's also the perfect way to round out some of the other gifts on this list—a cooler filled with beer? Yes, please.

Our favorite digital food scale: OXO Good Grips 11 lb Food Scale with Pull Out Display

If you're shopping for a dad who's very serious about cooking and baking, get him a food scale. As measuring spoons and cups are oftentimes inaccurate, a reliable digital scale can guarantee consistent results in his favorite recipes. This is especially useful for bread because a slight change in weight can result in big differences.

We liked the OXO food scale, as it was reliably accurate, easy to use, and had a removable platform for easy cleaning. You can switch the units of measurement from ounces to grams easily.

Read more about: Kansas City–Style Barbecue Sauce

We love Kansas City–style barbecue sauces. They're great as a marinade and a finishing sauce. Tangy, sweet, and sometimes a bit smoky, they're perfect for accompanying charred meats and smoked chicken. We tasted many different Kansas City–style sauces and liked each one of them for various reasons.

If the dad you're shopping for is into a good barbecue dinner, gifting some of our favorite Kansas City–style barbecue sauces would be the right call. Even better, you can send him a variety of different sauces in our tasting lineup. But for the dads who want more heat in their meals, we also delved deep into the world of Louisiana-style hot sauces and found many that are worth checking out.

Our favorite travel mug: Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug (SM-EE)

If the dad on your list spends a lot of time on the road, they may appreciate a well-insulated travel mug. It's lightweight and compact, which is ideal for those who are constantly traveling. More importantly, it should be great at keeping cold drinks cold and hot beverages hot for hours.

Our favorite model held 16 ounces and maintained temperatures longer than any other models, making it a reliable choice for bringing beverages on long journeys. It can be operated with just one hand, making sure people can use it while commuting.

Read more about: Single-Origin Chocolate

There are many ways to express love and gratitude—and chocolate should be one of them, especially if your giftee is a fan.

We tasted bars from around the world and recorded tasting notes of the nuanced flavors we detected. We liked all of the chocolate and were floored by how much they varied. A selection of single-origin chocolate can be a very special treat. It's for those who are curious about the nuances of chocolate grown in different parts of the world, as climate and other factors can affect how the bar tastes.

Our favorite handheld cordless vacuum: Black + Decker 20V MAX Cordless Pivot Vac

A handheld cordless vacuum has many advantages over the bulky, traditional canister or upright versions. It's great for tackling small to moderate messes and getting into hard-to-access areas, which can truly be a game-changer for the dads who like keeping their space neat at all times.

From cracker crumbs that fell through the car seats to pet hair that never stops appearing on couches, our favorite handheld vacuum can tackle it all. It's also storage-friendly, as its compact size makes it possible to be stored away without taking up too much space.

Our favorite soda maker: SodaStream Terra

If the dad you're shopping for goes through cartons of seltzer in a short amount of time, he'll appreciate a soda maker that guarantees he'd never run out of sparkling water. There are other benefits to owning a soda maker. First, you don't have to worry about recycling all the cans. Second, you can customize your carbonated water using ingredients you'd like. We've tested many soda makers over the years. The ones we liked the most are able to carbonate water quickly, easily, and effectively.

Our favorite all-around model is easy to use and takes up less countertop space compared to other SodaStream models. We also loved how easy it was to pop the canisters into the machine. Plus, the plastic water bottles are dishwasher-safe.

Our favorite countertop compost bin: OXO Good Grips Easy-Clean Compost Bin

For those who compost, there are many benefits of accumulating food scraps in a dedicated compost bin before transferring them to a larger pile. If the dad on your list hopes to start a composting habit, an easy-to-use compost bin would help make that journey much more enjoyable and less intimidating.

A good compost bin should be spacious to hold large amounts of scraps, easy to clean, and odor-free. Our favorite compost bin covers all the bases and does more. Other perks include its dishwasher-safe body which also allows you to easily clean it by hand; the lid is detachable, and it stays open when adding or removing food waste.